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A Conversation Contributing Towards A Better World For All

In his book, “People Like Us: How Arrogance Is Dividing Islam and the West”. Waleed Aly explores how “…our thoughtless and destructive tendency to assume that the world’s problems could be solved if only everyone became more like us. The result is deep mutual ignorance and animosity, reinforced by both Muslim and Western commentators.”

In this upcoming forum, we hope to explore new ways forward as we bring together the stories and perspectives from two complementary experiences as minorities in pluralistic societies: as Muslims in a Western society and as Christians in a Muslim majority society.

We believe that our stories and aspirations can provide new ways of mutual understanding as we all aspire to play a constructive role in shaping the societies that we are in for the better.

This forum is co-organised by Friends in Conversation (FIC) and the Muslim Professionals Forum (MPF).

Date / Time:
June 12, 2009; 8.00 pm – 10.30 pm

Venue:
The Father’s House
@ Bangsar Lutheran Church
23, Jalan Abdullah, off Jalan Bangsar
Kuala Lumpur

Conversation Partners

Waleed Aly is an Australian lawyer, Muslim community leader, academic and rock musician. He is a frequent commentator on Australian Muslim affairs. In 2008, he was selected to participate in the Australia 2020 Summit. Waleed is regularly invited to address audiences of academics, businesses and community leaders, as well as senior Australian politicians. He is currently a lecturer at the Global Terrorism Research Centre at Monash University.

Tricia Yeoh is a Malaysian currently serving as Research Officer to the Selangor Menteri Besar’s Office. She was previously the Director of the Centre for Public Policy Studies, at which she now sits as Member of its Advisory Panel. Her opinions as political analyst have been quoted by a range of international media, including Al? Jazeera, Bloomberg, The International Herald Tribune, The New York Times, The Economist magazine, and the local media. She is Christian and member of Bangsar Lutheran Church.

Dr. Ahmad Farouk Musa, a founding member of MPF is a cardiothoracic surgeon and lecturer at the School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University. His involvement in social work has seen him giving talks at universities and other Islamic centres in Malaysia on Islam and related topics. His life is deeply inspired by a true revolutionary, Ernesto Che Guevara, whose early life as a medical student was depicted in The Motorcycle Diaries.

The conversation will be facilitated by Rev Sivin Kit, founding member of FIC and pastor of Bangsar Lutheran Church.

For further details and latest updates on the event, visit our Facebook event listing.